The Conversation

Pope Francis' visit to Malta highlights the role of St. George Preca, an advocate for teaching the gospel

Written by Joanne M. Pierce, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

Pope Francis presides over a special prayer in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on March 25, 2022, before heading out to Malta for a two-day visit.AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File

Pope Francis’ two-day visit to the tiny European country of Malta, a strongly Catholic island just south of Sicily, in April, 2022 put a spotlight on Malta’s...

What countries have nuclear weapons, and where are they?

Written by Miles A. Pomper, Senior Fellow, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury

A U.S. Air Force jet performs a test drop of a B61-12 bomb in December 2021. That bomb can contain a nuclear warhead for use in wartime.Los Alamos National Laboratory

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has raised fears among the public about the use of nuclear weapons in Europe or against the United States. This level of concern has not been seen since...

The war in Ukraine ruins Russia's academic ties with the West

Written by Arik Burakovsky, Assistant Director, Russia and Eurasia Program, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University

U.S. universities are cutting ties with their Russian counterparts, such as Moscow State University, shown here. Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, universities across Europe and the United States have condemned the war and cut ties with Russia altogether. In the following...

SCOTUS is about to decide whether a public school football coach can pray on the field

Written by Charles J. Russo, Joseph Panzer Chair in Education in the School of Education and Health Sciences and Research Professor of Law, University of Dayton

When is a prayer after a public-school game constitutional?TerryJ/iStock via Getty Images Plus

The Supreme Court has consistently banned school-sponsored prayer in public K-12 schools, whether at the start of the school day, during graduation ceremonies or before football games. Under the Equal Access Act, the Supreme Court has affirmed that...

Medieval illustrated manuscripts reveal how upper-class women managed healthy households – overseeing everything from purging, leeching and cupping to picking the right wet nurse

Written by Jennifer Borland, Professor of Art History, Oklahoma State University

What type of images come to mind when you think of medieval art? Knights and ladies? Biblical scenes? Cathedrals? It’s probably not some unfortunate man in the throes of vomiting.

It might surprise you to learn this scene is found in a luxurious book from the Middle Ages made with the highest-quality materials, including abundant gold leaf....

Tomorrow's COVID safety guidelines will be different from today's – but that doesn't mean yesterday's were wrong

Written by Michael Williams, Associate Professor of Surgery and Public Policy, University of Virginia

COVID guidelines have changed a lot over the past few years as the pandemic has ebbed and flowed.AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

No one gave a second thought to the safety of dining out before the pandemic. Fast-forward to today, and it’s normal to wonder whether there is a city, state or federal policy around whether you need a mask or proof of...

Is Russia committing genocide in Ukraine? A human rights expert looks at the warning signs

Written by Alexander Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University - Newark

A Ukrainian soldier observes a destroyed shopping mall in Kyiv on March 29, 2022. Mykhaylo Palinchak/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

There’s a real threat that Russia will commit genocide in Ukraine. As evidence of war crimes emerges, there is reason to believe it may already be taking place.

“Russia’s forces have...

Biden bets a million barrels a day will drive down soaring gas prices – what you need to know about the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Written by Scott L. Montgomery, Lecturer, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington

Several sites, such as this one near Freeport, Texas, store the hundreds of million of barrels in the United States' Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Department of Energy via AP

The Biden administration on March 31, 2022, said it plans to release an unprecedented 180 million barrels of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to combat the recent...

The Human Genome Project pieced together only 92% of the DNA – now scientists have finally filled in the remaining 8%

Written by Gabrielle Hartley, PhD Candidate in Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut

Over half of the human genome contains repetitive DNA sequences whose functions are still not fully understood.Malte Mueller/fStop via Getty Images

When the Human Genome Project announced that they had completed the first human genome in 2003, it was a momentous accomplishment - for the first time, the DNA blueprint of human life was unlocked. But...

William Tecumseh Sherman knew the enduring cruelty of war

Written by Mitchell G. Klingenberg, Postdoctoral Fellow and Instructor of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, United States Army War College

Gen. William T. Sherman on horseback at fortifications near Atlanta in 1864.George N. Barnard via Library of Congress

It is doubtful the tragic devastation of the Russia-Ukraine War would surprise William Sherman were he alive today. The iconic U.S. Army soldier was a student of war at home and abroad.

Sherman, who lived from 1820 to 1891, concluded...